NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 BMW X1. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Complete electrical failure while driving on the Highway. I barely was able to get over without causing an accident. The car without notice went dead and no power. I couldn't turn the steering wheel. Lots of warning lights started flashing then completely dead.
The contact owned a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, she noticed there was smoke emerging from underneath the hood, and it caught fire. The contact was able to exit the vehicle safely. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. The service warning light was illuminated prior to the failure. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployments, or crashes. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The local dealer was contacted, but there was no assistance provided. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 95,800.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated while starting. Additionally, while stopped in traffic, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the camshaft position sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The timing chain jumped, shredding the plastic teeth which ended up in oil pump causing complete engine shut down. The certified mechanic says this is a known design flaw in the N20 engines.
I had to replace the Oil Fliter housing with oil cooler because it was made out of plastic and caused an oil and antifreeze. The repair man told me that engine part were made out of plastic and tend to fail over time.
Current owner of a 2015 BMW X1 bought in Feb 2025. Was informed by the car dealer at that time there is currently an unresolved important safety recall campaign for NHTSA Recall Number 24V608000 - "Water Pump Connector May Short Circuit" opened back in August 2024. I reached out to the local BMW dealer for a status update if the remedy was available and they indicated a remedy is still not available. They had me contact BMW Customer Relations for a better status update. BMW Customer Relations indicated the remedy is still not available for this recall and no ETA. They only told me to keep checking back with my BMW dealer -- which I have done numerous times over several weeks. This recall has been out since August 2024 and it is well beyond a reasonable amount of time for a remedy to this recall. This is an urgent enough issue that needs to be resolved now to avoid any fire risks.
There is an outstanding recall concerning coolant pump fire hazard. It has been more than a year since I got a recall notice. When I contacted a local BMW dealer, they said there is no remedy available YET. This is an urgent issue the manufacture must fix it soon. The wait has been too long!
On Sunday, [XXX] while driving the 2015 BMW X1 on [XXX] , the car overheated. The vehicle was brought to the side of the road, stopped turned off and towed to BMW of Warwick, Rhode Island. On Monday, August 4, 2025, at my home residence I received a recall notice from BWM indicating that there was a recall for the water pump control module and/or water pump. Water could get to the area and cause a short or fault into a fire. It was determined that the vehicle's water pump failed by the dealership and that the module was not the cause. This is way too coincidental. The dealership and/or BMW refused to replace the pump under warranty and only installed a shield over the unit. It is my contention that the module was exposed to moisture for over 10 years such that the electrical pump suffered premature wear and tear. The parts match the recall description. I am seeking reimbursement of $955.44 for the cost of replacement. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Passenger restraint system malfunction is the error code. I am reporting this because it seems to be a common problem with a very important safety system in the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for maintenance, the contact was informed that the water pump had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that prior to the visit, the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was not found. The failure persisted. On a separate occasion, while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side door failed to open as intended from the outside, and the front passenger's side door only opened from the inside of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the front passenger’s side rear window failed to function as intended. There was an abnormal sound while rolling up the window, and the window failed to roll up. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure persisted. The contact stated that prior to the other failures, the sliding cover on the sunroof failed to function as intended. The sliding cover was stuck, and the contact was unable to move the sliding cover. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). However, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired for the failure. Most recently, when the vehicle was restarted, the message "Passenger Restraint System Malfunction" was displayed. The contact used a personal scanner to clear the message. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment, after which the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The engine overheating warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the thermostat and radiator hose. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was 134,000.
After driving car for a few miles daily, engine gets hot & smoke appears from underneath hood. Coolant light comes on. Car begins to shake.
The open recall since August 2024 still has no remedy for a potential fire hazard. I was notified of the recall on 2/12/25 but still no remedy.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the engine overheated. The service engine warning light was illuminated. The thermostat symbol was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that an unknown hose was cracked. The mechanic performed a compression test, and the top of the radiator was cracked. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact was adding coolant to the reservoir occasionally. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
This is a complaint surrounding the recall on the vehicle. I have called the dealerships closest to me 4 times over the last month and a half to remedy with no such luck. My car 12/15, was smoking from the water pump location in the engine. It has done this when driving for more than 20 minutes or driving for the first time if taking the weekend off from doing so. There is a burning smell that comes in from the vents. I have had the oil changed and inspected, there was no leak found either time. there is "no remedy available" according to the dealership but this has been ongoing for 4 months. There is a fire hazard, I have relayed that I have seen smoke but have to drive the car as it is a daily driver for my family. no solution, even temporary has been discussed from the dealer.
Water pump recall has not been provided since the month of August . Engine light warning light just appeared on my vehicle
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was parked, the contact observed condensation under the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated after reversing out of the driveway and shifting into drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle responded as needed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. Additionally, the contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road, where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) had failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer determined that the engine computer needed to be reset to clear diagnostic trouble codes, and that the vehicle needed to be test-driven afterwards. The vehicle was repaired; however, the dealer also recommended that the battery be replaced. The battery was not replaced. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer was notified of the issue and informed the contact that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact stated that there was a whistling sound coming from the vehicle while driving. Additionally, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The “Service Soon” message was displayed. The service and oil messages were displayed on the information screen. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that the coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there was a coolant leak. The dealer diagnosed that the oil filter gasket housing had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the oil filter gasket housing was replaced, however the failure progressively worsened. The contact stated that there was oil leaking in the engine compartment, and there was a strong oil odor coming through the A/C vents. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was approximately 109,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed and left at the residence. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
While driving, an engine malfunction message appeared on the X1's panel display. The warning message was to proceed, under "reduced power", to a dealer as soon as possible to initiate repairs before engine damage could occur. Under these emergency conditions all panel functions, such as GPS, were blocked. I believe this failure, occurring under normal operating conditions, puts passengers at risk. At the dealer engine error codes identified the N55 engine's internal failure to be of the Valvetronic system. The 2015 X1 was out of warranty even though its mileage was 46,600 which, if still under the 4 year, 50,000 mile warranty, would have qualified for a warranty repair.
Multiple issues with coolant/pump. Recall states there is potential for fire but aren’t able to fix the problems.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System ) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
experience issues starting up due to a failure of the starter motor. Repeated attempts at stating the vehicle can cause the motor to overheat due to an electrical overload, potentially catching combustible materials in the engine compartment and increasing the risk of fire.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the A/C was activated, and there was smoke coming from under the hood. There was smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle through the A/C vents. A fuel-burning odor was coming from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I have had 2 BMW with the same recall. And I keep calling the local dealer. It has been 6 months and it should be an easy fix. I feel because of the age of my cars they are dragging their feet. I need to get this recall fixed because I use these cars for business
Rear passenger door bouncing back when closing and now passenger rear door doing exactly same thing. If it happens you have to drive while holding door closed trying not to fly out into traffic.
What happened: Before the engine began smoking, I experienced several electrical and functional issues. The cigarette lighter socket and USB ports stopped working completely. At one point, the windshield washer fluid system also stopped working and later started functioning again without repair. Additionally, on multiple occasions while at a complete stop with my foot on the brake, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into park on its own. This happened about 2–3 times and made it unsafe to accelerate when traffic resumed. Eventually, the engine began emitting smoke during normal use. There were no warning lights or error messages beforehand. This issue appears connected to the current coolant pump recall, but the manufacturer has stated that no remedy is available. Out of concern for my safety and potential risk to others, I have stopped driving the vehicle. Because the issue remains unresolved, the car has become undrivable and is now affecting my ability to work and manage basic transportation needs.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power with the message "Stop the Vehicle - Engine Overheating" was displayed before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted each time, except after the last failure. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My vehicle blew up in my driveway last after being parked for over 6 hours. Been researching this has been a ongoing thing with BMW. Electrical issue
While driving , power steering became stiff and unable to move steering wheel and went into a lock position . I have to turn off engine completely to be safe .
The engine caught on fire - While driving the car, the engine suddenly started running poorly. Check engine lights went on and the car went into limp mode. Smoke came out of the engine compartment. We were able to pull over to the side of the road. The engine died and would not start. The car was towed to an independant repair shop and then to the BMW dealer. BMW of NA sent a field investigation team to inspect the car. BMW said there was "thermal activity in the engine compartment where the intake ducting was partially melted". BMW would not release a copy of the report. The insurance company is inspecting the car now. Photos are available. This might be related to NHTSA recall number 22V-119.
Right passenger door will not open from the inside using the door handle about 1 out of 10 times. This seems to be a common problem on many other BMW vehicles as noted here: https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1217271. The door will still open from the outside or using the interior door unlock button that operates an actuator to unlock the door, but in a emergency situation where battery power may not be available, there is a 1 in 10 chance the door will not open using the handle. I feel this is a severe safety issue and should be fixed by BMW free of charge by way of a recall.
The engine coolant thermostat limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship. The vehicle currently has 60,128 miles. The vehicle's "service engine soon", warning light began appearing intermittently and now it is constantly on. The car has a stored code (P0597) Thermostat Heater Control Circuit/Open.This vehicle has a current technical service bulletin for a defective thermostat for this model year; however, the VIN number is not included. This should be investigated further as this Technical service bulletin(SI B01 01 16) suggests that PRODUCTION date is NOT the sole determinate, but rather, the entire model year is just as imperative!! The local BMW dealership is refusing to repair the vehicle despite having premature failure with the thermostat heater control circuit/open for this model year vehicle and with a currently illuminated warning light and code (P0597). Although the technical service bulletin states that the model year & model numbers are both covered, the bulletin further states: 1) ."Note: The MY 2015 vehicles produced up to and including January 31, 2015 (as applicable) have been added to this bulletin December 2017"; and, 2) "Please do not use a vehicle’s production date as the sole determinate for this coverage, the vehicle’s “model year” is also an important determinate."
The contact called on behalf of his mother who owned a 2015 BMW X1. The contact stated that the service engine message was intermittently displayed and then remained displayed. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA ID Number: 10136705 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Our BMW X1 needs a new front differential. It has 88,500 miles. Dealer explained that this could cause the vehicle to stall in an unsafe way. BMW has developed a repair kit for this fix and we have found many complaints from owners online saying they've had the same problem atttributed to a flawed bearing design. A repair on this vehicle is $4,157 for a new BMW unit or $2800 for a used unit. This seems like a very expensive defect for the mileage of the vehicle and it is a safety concern. BMW has denied requests for assistance. We are wondering if a recall might be appropriate if a pattern of consumers are reporting this problem and just wanted to make you aware. The vehicle is making a grinding noise but hasn't stalled yet; the dealer is just warning us that will happen upon a complete failure.
Radiator warning lamp comes on and engine starts to overheat. Problem first ocurred around July/August 2021. Car has been serviced three times (twice by dealer) without being fixed. Radiator, hoses, thermostat, vent line, and expansion tank have been replaced. Car is available for inspection. I believe it could be the coolant pump as reported in other models. Car going back to dealer on 5/5 for another look.
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X1. The contact had received notification of Manufacturer recall number: 20E-A01 for the engine CO emissions (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer and the dealer refused to complete the manufacturer’s recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
This car has had fuel leaking since the moment I drove it off the lot. I messaged the dealer, and received no response. Living in Arizona without a working AC in the car is also quite a nightmare. At the moment the smell of gasoline is extremely intense and I feel worry about my baby riding in a car. It would be great if, BMW came forward, to do what’s correct, and fix the car’s issues, as it is constantly breaking down from one thing or the other. Thanks
THIS IS REGARDING THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF SHADE/LINER. ALL OF A SUDDEN, HALF OF IT IS STUCK AND WILL NOT WORK. IT WILL NOT CLOSE OR OPEN. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THIS IS NOT COVERED SOMEHOW WITH BMW - AND THEY WANT $1000'S JUST TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, I SEE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH NUMEROUS AND NUMEROUS X1 OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE AND THAT OTHERS HAVE ISSUED A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. HERE'S TO HOPING SOMETHING IS DONE AND A RECALL ISSUED. THANKS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 BMW X1. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN SHE SAW SMOKE EXITING THE HOOD THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE AND UNDER HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER VISTA BMW COCONUT CREEK (4401 W SAMPLE RD, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073: (954) 905-4461) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE IGNITION CORD AND OIL PAN WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026